This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to radio-frequency shielding and thermal management structures for components in electronic devices.
Electronic devices often contain components such as radio-frequency transmitters and other circuits that use electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding structures. Electromagnetic interference shielding structures may help prevent radio-frequency signals that are generated by one component from disrupting the operation of another component that is sensitive to radio-frequency interference. Electromagnetic shielding structures may be formed from metal shielding cans soldered to printed circuit boards. A typical shielding has an inner metal fence and an outer metal lid structure.
The operation of integrated circuits such as radio-frequency transmitters and other circuitry tends to generate heat. To properly dissipate heat that is generated during operation, heat sink structures may be thermally coupled to the exterior of an electromagnetic shielding can. To ensure satisfactory heat transfer from a shielded integrated circuit to a heat sink, a thermally conductive elastomeric pad may be interposed between the integrated circuit and the shielding can to fill air gaps between the integrated circuit and the shielding can and another thermally conductive elastomeric pad may be interposed between the shielding can and the heat sink. The use of multiple thermally conductive paths and separate heat sink and electromagnetic interference shielding structures tends to make designs of this type complex and costly and may reduce the efficacy of the overall structure in removing heat from a component during operation.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways in which to provide components in electronic devices with heat sinking and electromagnetic interference shielding structures.